Advances in Biosynthesis, Pharmacology, and Pharmacokinetics of Pinocembrin, a Promising Natural Small-Molecule Drug
Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editors: Pavel B. Drasar and Vladimir A. Khripach
Molecules 2019, 24(12), 2323; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24122323
Received: 31 May 2019
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Revised: 18 June 2019
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Accepted: 23 June 2019
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Published: 24 June 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Study and Utilization of Natural Products)
Pinocembrin is one of the most abundant flavonoids in propolis, and it may also be widely found in a variety of plants. In addition to natural extraction, pinocembrin can be obtained by biosynthesis. Biosynthesis efficiency can be improved by a metabolic engineering strategy and a two-phase pH fermentation strategy. Pinocembrin poses an interest for its remarkable pharmacological activities, such as neuroprotection, anti-oxidation, and anti-inflammation. Studies have shown that pinocembrin works excellently in treating ischemic stroke. Pinocembrin can reduce nerve damage in the ischemic area and reduce mitochondrial dysfunction and the degree of oxidative stress. Given its significant efficacy in cerebral ischemia, pinocembrin has been approved by China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) as a new treatment drug for ischemic stroke and is currently in progress in phase II clinical trials. Research has shown that pinocembrin can be absorbed rapidly in the body and easily cross the blood–brain barrier. In addition, the absorption/elimination process of pinocembrin occurs rapidly and shows no serious accumulation in the body. Pinocembrin has also been found to play a role in Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and specific solid tumors, but its mechanisms of action require in-depth studies. In this review, we summarized the latest 10 years of studies on the biosynthesis, pharmacological activities, and pharmacokinetics of pinocembrin, focusing on its effects on certain diseases, aiming to explore its targets, explaining possible mechanisms of action, and finding potential therapeutic applications.
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Keywords:
pinocembrin; microbial biosynthesis; pharmacological activities; pharmacokinetic features; research progress
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MDPI and ACS Style
Shen, X.; Liu, Y.; Luo, X.; Yang, Z. Advances in Biosynthesis, Pharmacology, and Pharmacokinetics of Pinocembrin, a Promising Natural Small-Molecule Drug. Molecules 2019, 24, 2323. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24122323
AMA Style
Shen X, Liu Y, Luo X, Yang Z. Advances in Biosynthesis, Pharmacology, and Pharmacokinetics of Pinocembrin, a Promising Natural Small-Molecule Drug. Molecules. 2019; 24(12):2323. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24122323
Chicago/Turabian StyleShen, Xiaoling, Yeju Liu, Xiaoya Luo, and Zhihong Yang. 2019. "Advances in Biosynthesis, Pharmacology, and Pharmacokinetics of Pinocembrin, a Promising Natural Small-Molecule Drug" Molecules 24, no. 12: 2323. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24122323
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